Real Madrid are short-term winners in 'operation Di María'

The writing has been on the wall for Di María for weeks. His destiny depended on which side had the greatest financial muscle to push through a deal. The 'Red Devils' have now cooled their interest in Colombian Juan Cuadrado, whose agent travelled to Manchester in an attempt to facilitate a move earlier in the summer, after discovering that PSG had ruled themselves out of the bidding for the Argentine winger.

The deal will be worth ¤75m plus bonuses and the player will pocket a net salary of ¤8m a year. Real Madrid are the only short-term winners. It will be a record amount spent by an English club following a tricky negotiation process where the tempting move would have been to give in much earlier.

United will get their hands on a player whose childhood dream was to represent the red half of Manchester. Di María is a class act and can turn any game provided he remains fit. The 26-year-old will acquire the status and salary which he has been crying out for .

The Argentine, who will sport the iconic number seven shirt, will be Manchester United's marquee signing of the summer after current stars Van Persie, Rooney and Mata gave their approval. The final assessment of the amount United have splashed out will depend on the player's performances. It could equally turn into a bargain or a disaster. With no Champions League football this season, the World Cup star will have to wait for at least one year until he graces Europe's premier club competition again. It is no secret that the footballing idols who receive the most media attention are those who perform well during the week in European competition.